Need information on SLAP tear

[BombSquad]

Alright so after two years of problems, I finally went to see a DPT. After hearing my symptoms and cranking my arm in ways that made it hurt for three days, he said he is 90% certain I have a SLAP tear, and that I will be needing surgery. So here goes:

1. How accurately can one be diagnosed without actually looking into my shoulder?

2. I have an MRA scheduled. How bad does the needle suck? I hate needles.

3. I'm a weightlifter, runner, soldier, and I drive a stick shift muscle car. How long can I be expected to be down and out if I end up getting the surgery?

[Heidi]

Hi,

The kind of tests which a PT or similar will do to assess an injury only give an indication of any possible injury, which along with the patient symptoms and mechanism of the injury can help them to build up a clinical impression. This is not a diagnosis.

The only way to tell for definate is to get a scan (be it x-ray/MRI etc) and surgery would never be performed without a scan to confirm.

There is a bit of information on this page about time scales for surgery:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/shoulder/glenoid_labral_tear.php

As for how bad the needle hurts, I have no idea having never had one!